11/22 Barnett's WWE Smackdown on SyFy Live Coverage: Daniel Bryan, The Wyatt Family, Goldust and Cody Rhodes, AJ Lee and more on this week's show

WWE Smackdown on SyFy Live Coverage
Taped Tuesday, November 19th in Atlanta, Georgia

[Q1] The intro played and Cole plugged Bryan vs. Harper in the main event. He also said The Uso's and Rey Mysterio would take on The Shield later in the show. Lilian Garcia announced that the first match would be a WWE Tag Team Championship match. Cody Rhodes and Goldust made their entrance with their decidedly bad entrance music mash up. Cole then narrated footage of the Real Americans getting a win over the champions on Raw last month. The Real Americans made their entrance flanking Zeb Colter.

1. The Real Americans vs. Goldust and Cody Rhodes: A stare down between Goldust and Swagger started the match. Goldust got in some offense early, including a nice dropkick, and then tagged out to Cody. Cody hit a nice knee lift on Cesaro and then the match slowed down. Later on, Cody hit a back body drop an then went back to a headlock. He rolled up Cesaro for the first pin of the match, but got two. Cody ended up on the apron, and after going after Swagger, got kicked to the floor by Cesaro...[c]

My Take: Cole has made a passing reference to Survivor Series thus far, but otherwise not much attention being paid to the PPV on Sunday.

Swagger hit a belly to belly and took control of the match for his team. He and Cesaro did a double stomp and another big suplex from Swagger for a near fall. Swagger pulled Goldust off the apron to prevent a tag. Cody tried for an Alabama slam, but Cesaro escaped and hit his big vaulted uppercut. He covered for a near fall. Cody attempted a sunset flip, but Cesaro blocked it. Cody eventually hit a moonsault and both men made a tag.

[Q2] Goldust entered and hit a nice spinebuster on Swagger, followed by ten punches in the corner. He then hit a nice powerslam, but Cesaro broke up the pin. Goldust attacked Cesaro from the apron, and Cody did a suicide dive onto Swagger and Cesaro on the outside. Cody tried to climb the ropes, but Swagger caught him and slammed him face first into the mat, and then applied the Patriot Lock. Cody broke up the hold with the disaster kick, in a spot where Swagger had way too much time to get out of the way.

Cesaro did what felt like an eternal Cesaro swing on Cody. Goldust recovered and dumped him out of the ring. Swagger then tried to roll him up for the surprise win, but Goldust got a last minute kick out. Goldy followed up with his finisher for the win.

Cody Rhodes and Goldust defeated The Real Americans at 14:02.

Cole plugged Mysterio's return and then Ryback was shown. Cole said he had a challenge for literally anyone in the locker room.

My Take: A very fun match, and these teams are involved in a Survivor Series match on Sunday, but it was barely mentioned. I guess they could be saving that for later when Mysterio returns against The Shield, but it jumped out at me anyway.

Ryback entered and headed towards the ring. He said he'd been a bully all his life. He enjoyed pushing people around, and claimed he could do it to anyone he wanted, and there was nothing they can do about it. But, that's not a bad thing for me, the human wrecking ball, Ryback. He was making a challenge to anyone in the back who thinks they can stop him from pushing them around. Great Khali is that man. Kill me now.

2. Ryback vs. The Great Khali: Khali threw off Ryback and then chopped him down. He tossed him into the corner and hit a big chop. Ryback chopped him back, but Khali didn't let him get away with that, oh now. Several more chops for Ryback, and then a trip to the outside via a clothesline. Khali followed and bounced Ryback off the stops. Ryback hung Khali's shoulder over the rope and then stomped him down in the corner.

Khali hit a big boot and a clothesline. Khali called for the big chop, and then hit him with it. He covered, but Ryback reached the ropes. He got to his feet and hit Khali with a big meat hook clothesline. He then lifted Khali up and hit shellshocked for the impressive visual of the night.

Ryback defeated The Great Khali at 2:58.

[Q7] Backstage, AJ and Tamina got approached by Vickie. She said everyone knows what happened on Monday night was awful, and it was Brad Maddox's fault. Vickie said she was just a GM, and was pretty easy to beat. Vickie mentioned her 12 diva match at Survivor Series, and said her team is represented by divas not on Total Divas.

She said she had to show leadership for her women, and made a match between AJ and the Funkadactyls in a handicap match. AJ protested and said she was hurt and wasn't medically cleared, but Vickie insisted the WWE doctor said she could compete. AJ accused Vickie of wanting to punish her. Vickie grinned and cakcled, and AJ stormed off. A Bruno Sammartino video package then aired relating to his upcoming DVD release. It covered quite a bit about his glory years.

My Take: Khali and Ryback was bizarre. Khali got in way too much offense for a squash, but it still felt like one. Khali's matches feel like you enter a time warp and they take about three times as long as you think they do. The divas stuff continues to be a disaster. Heel female general manager picking on a heel diva does not make for great chemistry.

Cole plugged Booker T, Mick Foley and Bret Hart for the Survivor Series Pre-Show. The Funkadactyls made their entrance, as WWE panned the crowd and showed a very angry Ernest Miller. Ok, that didn't really happen, but I wish it did. AJ made her entrance with Tamina, looked like she was going to pee her pants. She got into the ring timidly. Cole plugged their Survivor Series match.

3. AJ Lee vs. The Funkadactyls: Both Funkadactyls drop kicked AJ, and then continued the assualt outside the ringn. Naomi and Cameron both pushed Tamina to the ground, and threw AJ back in the ring. Tamina pulled Naomi off the apron, and AJ blindsided Naomi to take control. She hit a neckbreaker for a two count on Naomi. AJ got in a bit more offense but ate an enziguri from Naomi. Cameron provided a distraction getting back in the ring, and Naomi hit rear view for the win.

The Funkadactyls defeated AJ Lee at 3:12.

Bray Wyatt was shown backstage. He said when he closes his eyes, he sees memories that aren't his. The world needs less revolutionaries, and more revolutions. He claimed when people see CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, their eyes light up and they ask themselves if they are dreaming. Bray thensaid they are just men, and he would prove them to be such. When he was a chile, his father told him that the meek shall inherit the earth. He claimed they are the reapers walking up right and guided by her hand. Follow the buzzards.

My Take: The women's match was not as good as the past few weeks. Just didn't feel like it gelled to me. That was the best Wyatt promo in ages, though. I wish we get that reciprocated by Bryan and Punk at some point. It would also help to find out who they are talking about guiding them. Stephanie? I suppose it would make more sense if it was AJ, just for continuity purposes with Kane, Punk and Bryan.

The Shield made their entrance for a match next...[c]

The Shield posed awkwardly with their fists together for a really long time. The Uso's made their ring entrance and did their call and response. Cole plugged the 5 on 5 Survivor Series Tag Team match for Sunday. Rey then made his entrance and got kids in the audience all pumped up, which he does better than anyone at this point.

4. Rey Mysterio and The Uso's vs. The Shield: Dean Ambrose and Jimmy Uso started the match. They traded blows, and Jimmy got the advantage. He hit a clothesline and tagged in Jay, who hit an uppercut and got a two count. Ambrose quickly recovered and tagged in Rollins, who hit the ropes and dove into Jay's fist. Jimmy tagged back in, as did Ambrose. Quick tags from Ambrose and Rollins slowed the pace and controlled the match briefly.

The Uso's recovered and cleared the entire Shield down to the floor, and did a team suicide dive onto Rollins and Ambrose. The Shield regained control after Reigns tagged in and put a beating on Jay Uso...[c]

[Q5] Rollins hit an enziguri on Jay Uso. Ambrose tagged in and applied a chin lock. Jay fought to his feet, and he reversed a neckbreaker attempt into a back slide. Ambrose kicked out and kept up the pressure, however, and tagged in Reigns. He hit a suplex and covered for a two count. Rollins tagged in and tossed Jay hard off the corner turnbuckles twice. He then attempted a stinger splash, and Jay slipped out of the way.

Rollins tagged in Reigns, and Jay couldn't make a tag. Reigns cleared Jimmy off the apron, and hit a suplex one more time for a two count. Reigns missed a spear, and ate the post. Mysterio made a hot tag and so did Rollins. Mysterio quickly hit a seated senton from the top, followed by a spinning DDT, but Ambrose broke up the pin. The match broke down as Reings hit a couple of spears on the Uso's. Rey got picked up for a powerbomb, but Rey sent him to the outside with a reversal.

Mysterio set up for a 619 on Rollins, but Ambrose broke it up with a clothesline. Mysterio ended up hitting a 619 and dropped the dime on Ambrose a moment later for the win.

The Uso's and Rey Mysterio defeated The Shield at 11:49.

Cole plugged the main event between Harper and Bryan for alter. Big Show was shown talking to someone backstage, and Cole said he was going to call out Orton.

My Take: Another very fun match, but I felt like we've seen Sunday's outcome already.

Big Show made his entrance, and said it was pretty cool that he was facing Randy Orton on Sunday. He said he had been fighting with the authority to get his job back, because he belonged there and it was his home. He claimed he wasn't there for a paycheck, he was there to make the Authority's life a living hell. Show said the best way to do that is to rearrange the face of the company and become the WWE Champion. He said this could be his last opportunity at the WWE Championshio, and he was planning on laying it all one the line. Before he could continue, Randy Orton interrupted.

Randy stopped on the ramp and said there was no doubt that Show is finished. He was a hall of famer, but he was washed up. The only reason he had a title shot was because he filed a lawsuit like a coward. He thought he had one up on the authorty, but they gave him his job back to punish him, and that's just what Orton would do on Sunday. Show stopped him and said he could talk tough from 50 yards away. Show asked him if he was coming, and then asked him if he forgot what happened when he got in the face of the authority. He then showed video footage of Hunter and Stephanie telling him he was on his own on Sunday. Show stopped the video briefly to explain where Orton acted like a child.

[Q6] Show said it looked like someone went to Mommy and Daddy one too many times. Show said Orton thinks he's better than everyone because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He said Orton had all the talent in the world, and should have been a leader years ago, but he refused to look out for anyone but himself. Orton waited until someone handed him the title. Orton fumed and said he would beat Orton on his own without anybody's help.

Show stopped him again, and showed footage of Show knocking him out whenever they were along together. Show told him to hold on to his championship real tight, because it was the only thing that defined him as a man. Show said he would take away what Orton coveted the most, his WWE Title. After the promo, we cut backstage to R-Truth, who transformed into Pretty Ricky and sold WWE Shop merch. Big E Langston and Dolph Ziggler were shown walking backstage together.

My Take: That Show promo felt like he was selling cars. He tried to pull it together, but the video packages and the scripted lines that led to them felt like an infomercial. Very weird segment. Also weird was seeing Ziggler and Langston so chummy so soon.

Footage was shown of Langston capturing the WWE Intercontinental Championship from Curtis Axel on Raw. Dolph Ziggler made his entrance, followed by Big E Langston.

5. Big E Langston and Dolph Ziggler vs. Curtis Axel and Damien Sandow: Ziggler and Sandow started, and Ziggler got in some brief offense. Sandow made a tag to Axel, and he slowed down the paee. Quick tags from Sandow and Ziggler in the early going kept the ring cut in half, and Axel stared down Big E Langston. He then took a shot at him, which allowed Ziggler to hit a DDT and recover a bit. Both men tagged in and Langston hit clotheslines on Sandow and Axel. Axel flew out to the floor, and Big E rolled over Sandow.

He hit a big splash and set up for the Big Ending, but Axel chop blocked him. Ziggler entered and hit a Rocker Dropper on Axel. Big E Langston recovered and hit the Big Ending for the win.

After the match, Axel attempted to take out Langston with the IC Championship Belt, but he ducked and cleared Axel from the ring. After the match, a WrestleMania XXX related party video was shown from a ticket event in New Orleans. Another plug for the main event was shown...[c]

My Take: I guess if they wanted to give Langston some shine, they succeded, but it definitely came at the expense of everyone else there.

[Q7] Alberto Del Rio was shown with Renee Young backstage. Young introduced video of what has transpired between Del Rio and Cena in recent weeks. We cut backstage again, and she introduced another video package from Monday, of Cena getting the better of him. Del Rio claimed he wasn't ready, and said he has already done enough to that dog. He told Cena to enjoy his last moments as Champion. His arm sling wouldn't help him on Sunday. There wasn't any more games or arm wrestling, and he would hurt Cena bad. In two days, Cena would be tapping out, and he would take back his World Heavyweight Championship.

My Take: Del Rio, throughout a solid one minute talking segment, never looked at the camera once.

Cole and JBL introduced a WWE.com poll about who has the most devastating submission finisher in the WWE. They showed footage of CM Punk, Natalya, Del Rio, and Bryan's finisher from WWE 2K14. Natalya was chosen with almost half the vote.

[Q8] Daniel Bryan made his ring entrance, and led some Yes Chants. The Wyatt Family followed and made their entrance.

6. Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt: Harper took control early with his power, and just threw Bryan around. Harper tried to do some mat wrestling, but Bryan attempted the Yes Lock. Harper quickly escaped to the outside and went to consult with Bray...[c]

Harper chucked Bryan into the barricade several times, and climbed into the ring to break the ref's count. Harper tossed Bryan into the ring steps, and then back into the ring. Harper hit a few european uppercuts, and then smiled at the crowd. Bryan recovered and hit a drop toe hold into the corner. Bryan ran at him, but got scooped up for what looked like a tilt a whirl sit out power slam. Bryan fired back with a clothesline. Bryan fired up and hit some kicks, but got picked up for a sit out powerbomb for a near fall when he attempted a kick to the head.

Harper hit another kick to the head, and then gator rolled Bryan several times. Harper got a crazed look on his face, and gator rolled Bryan a few more times. Bryan maneuvered into position and rolled up Harper for a two count. Bryan then dumped him to the outside and hit a suicide dive. Bryan got to his feet and stared at Bray Wyatt. Harper then blasted him from behind. Punk's music hit and he headed onto the ramp. Rowan gave chase, as Bryan rolled up Harper for the surprise win.

Daniel Bryan defeated Bray Wyatt at 14:01.

Rowan and Harper quickly got the better of both men with help from Bray. Eventually, Bray hit Bryan with Sister Abigail and posed to close the show.

My Take: A good close to the show. The Wyatt's at least got the better of it here, and they needed it. I still wish we would have gotten better promo work from Bryan and Punk, and more character development from The Wyatt's heading into this PPV. It just doesn't have that much intrigue, if you're looking beyond what will likely be a very good match. I hope they have something better in mind for it at the PPV or on Raw Monday. Overall another mediocre attempt at best to sell us on Survivor Series. They desperately needed a home run, and what we got feels robotic and half hearted.

Do you have questions, comments or concerns? Contact me at barnett.jake@gmail.com or on twitter @barnettjake.